Handbook for Travelers:

Handbook for Travelers:

Population. It is extremely difficult to estimate the population.  According to recent statistics (1896), there were 99,000 Muslims; 20,000 Orthodox Greeks and Syrians; 15,000 United Greeks; 900 Armenians; 10,800 United Syrians; 3400 Maronites; 600 Latins; 300 Protestants; 4000 Jews; total: 154,000. Other authorities esti mate the population at 250,000.

Handbook for Travelers:

Handbook for Travelers:: Page 347

Handbook for Travelers:: Page 361

From Page 341, Handbook for Travelers: (1898)

From Damascus to Ez-Zebedânî via Helbûn. Starting from the Bâb Tâmâ (p. 360) we follow the Aleppo road and diverge from it to the left after 11 minutes. After 9 min. we avoid a path to the left, and after 14 min. emerge from among the gardens. About 1/4 hr. to the right is the village of Kâbûn. We reach (20 min.) the village of Berzeh. A Muslim legend makes this the birthplace of Abraham, or at least the point to which he and his servants penetrated in this direction (Gen. xiv. 15). Here we turn to the left, and in 8 min. reach the entrance of a gorge. In 33 min.

View From the Mountain

Damascus is beautiful from the mountain. It is beautiful even to foreigners accustomed to luxuriant vegetation, and I can easily understand how unspeakably beautiful it must be to eyes that are only used to the God-forsaken barrenness and desolation of Syria. I should think a Syrian would go wild with ecstacy when such a picture bursts upon him for the first time.

Three Days Journey to Damascus - Done in Two

From Unexplored Syria, pg 36 

You were so kind as to insert a letter from me last May concerning `Tadmor in the Wilderness,' and I shall feel glad if you find a pendent letter about Ba'albak, its rival in the traveller's interest, -worthy of a similar favour.  Many of your readers have visited or intend to visit its magnificent ruins —gigantic remains which Rome herself cannot show -- and they will be thankful for the information which my five days under canvas in the midst of its temples enable me to give them.